Athena's Eye
by Blondie 24-7
Summary: Bree had had a rough life. Abandoned by her parents because of her sisters affliction she was raised by Remus Lupin. You would think that making it through the Battle of Hogwarts would mean that things could only get easier, but the losses seemed to outweigh any gains. When an accident involving a time turner sends our investigative journalist to 1976 what will she decide to do?
1. Chapter 1

_AN: Here's a fan fiction that I have been toying around with. Let me know what you think! And as always all of the Harry Potter related stuff is the property of JK Rowling._

 _-C_

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The Aftermath of the Battle of Hogwarts**

"... and that's when you broke the elder wand into pieces?" I asked Harry prompting him to tell me the last of the events that happened at the final battle from his point of view.

"Exactly!" He exclaimed with a sad smile thinking back on that horrible and momentous day. "Ron asked what we were going to do with it, because having the elder wand would make us… me… the most powerful wizard in the world. But you know I had just spent all this time and effort trying to take down a man who had it. I just didn't have the energy to fight another wizard like that." He rambled, and I couldn't help but think he was right. "The world is a better place without it." He sighed.

"I couldn't agree more Mr. Potter!" I said with a bright smile.

"It's Harry, Bree. Your one of Ginny's best friends, you don't have to call me by my surname." He said with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh I know!" I said brightly with a smile. "But I plan on writing more than just books in the future, I need to work on my bedside manner. Is it called a bedside manner when you're a writer?" I asked, closing my notebook and placing my muggle pen behind my ear. Leaning back in the overstuffed armchair I was sitting in. The living room in the burrow reminded me so much of the Gryffindor common room, it was cozy.

"I don't think it's a bedside manner, unless you're interviewing someone in a bed?" He asked with a small laugh before his face settled into a grimace again. That's how we all were feeling after the Battle of Hogwarts. It had only been a month now since the battle took place. Long enough for awards to be given out, and funerals to be had, but not quite long enough for the survivors guilt to subside and the rest of Voldemort's followers to be rounded up.

"I suppose you're right. That would make a lot of sense." I joked lightly before standing up and offering my hand to pull him up beside me. "Thank you so much for agreeing to let me write your biography, I hope you know how much you've done with your life. This might end up a series!" I exclaimed happily, grunting toward the end as Harry took my offered hand.

"However many books you want to write are fine with me." He reassured with a smile as we slowly made our way into the kitchen. "I don't know what we would do without those boxes of evidence you compiled this last year, you're making convicting people easy." Harry was of course referring to the boxes of evidence of witches and wizards sympathizing with or becoming Death Eaters I had compiled when I went rogue both before and after my time in captivity over the last year.

"Well I have more when you guys are through with that. How is being an Auror by the way? I feel like they just kind of thrust you into being like basically in charge. I know that Kingsley is there but how do you even know for sure you can trust anyone else?" I asked genuinely curious as I spotted Hermione at the kitchen table books splayed across the entire surface, not distracted from her reading in the least since Harry and I entered the room.

"I mean, it is stressful, but we're managing. We'll figure it all out eventually." He said grabbing a glass from the cabinet and filling it in the tap.

"Hmph" The grunt came from Hermione and Harry rolled his eyes. I guess she had been paying a bit more attention then I thought she was.

"Yes 'Mione?" He asked sarcastically.

"You should be letting Kingsley deal with all of that, you're supposed to finish your school!" She said exasperatedly. I couldn't help but smile and roll my eyes as well. "Don't you roll your eyes at me either Bree Anne Adler!" She exclaimed turning her glare on me.

"I'm not going back there either, and there's nothing you can do to convince me!" I exclaimed throwing my hands in the air, notebook still clutched in my hand.

"You don't even have a job Bree. You've only gotten as far as finishing your OWL's, what are you going to do?" She exclaimed exasperated, pushing the open book in front of her further away.

"I have plenty of jobs, thank you very much!" I exclaimed indignantly, waving my notebook in front of my face. "I'm a freelance writer and investigative journalist, I don't need more school!"

"Well more school never hurt anybody." Hermione grumbled. Harry just looked on amused, thankful that he hadn't remained her target for long. Hermione had been pissed to find out that neither Harry nor Ron planned on finishing out their NEWT's, but they had both gotten job offers in the ministry, just like she had. And neither of them saw the point in returning, much like me.

A thumping of someone bounding down the stairs signaled the end of our unpleasant conversation as Harry turned back to me. "Who are you going after next Miss Investigative Journalist?"

"Oh I don't know?" I muttered as Ginny came into view, jumping into Harry's arms. I looked away, the cuteness making me uncomfortable. "Whoever spikes my interest next I suppose."

"Speaking of spiked interest!" Ginny exclaimed untangling herself from her boyfriend. "You have to come practice with me! The holyhead harpies are going to let me try out in the spring, so long as I go back for 7th year!" She exclaimed happily grabbing my arm to pull me outside as an owl tapped on the kitchen window. Harry went to relieve the owl of the letter as I pulled back on Gin's arm.

"That's great Ginny! Why do they need you to go back to school to play quidditch though?" I asked thoroughly confused.

She just rolled her eyes at me "They only want people who set a good example to their fans on their team or something like that." She shrugged.

"Well at least someone has their priorities in order." Hermione muttered, her nose back in her book.

"How did the interview go?" She asked the room at large.

Harry being too engrossed in his letter I responded. "It went really well. I think that will be the last one, I can't wait to start writing it. It's going to be a best seller, I can feel it!" I exclaimed happily.

"With the subject matter and your writing style that's basically a guarantee!" Ginny reassured pulling me into a hug. "Now let's get outside and practice, you too Harry!" she shouted pulling me toward the door again.

"Sorry Ginny, I can't. I have to go into work. There an explosion. Amos's house is gone, he's presumed dead." Harry replied solemnly.

"Amos Diggory?" I asked intrigued at the same time as Ginny's reply.

"It's ok." Ginny muttered dejectedly. "I understand."

"What happened?" I asked when Harry didn't answer.

"There wasn't a dark mark but that's all I know. Come along if you want to." He replied summoning his coat nonverbally. I chuckled to myself remembering how years ago he couldn't get that spell to work for the life of him, quite literally since he needed it in the triwizard tournament.

"Do you even have to ask?" I replied excitedly summoning my messenger bag and coat before grabbing on to Harry's arm for a sidelong apperitation. I may have figured out how to break the trace since I was only 16, but I hadn't been let into an apparition class yet.

"We'll be back soon!" I assured Ginny with a smile.

"It's ok, I'll get George to do some drills when he gets home! Good luck!' She replied. She was being overly nice and excited, which was her coping mechanism for when we were doing something dangerous that made her nervous.

"Say Hi to Ronald for me!" Hermione exclaimed as we spun away into thin air, reappearing with a lurch in front of a decimated brick house littered with aurors. Smoke rising into the air from the ashes.

Ron, or at least someone who I assumed was Ron from the blur of red hair walked up to us while I tried to get my bearings. Apparition always made me slightly sick. Once I was sturdy on my feet again I tuned into their conversation.

"... No evidence of a body, but I'm not sure we would find one here anyway with how much of the house has been evaporated…" Ron was explaining to Harry where they were at.

I pulled my camera out of my bag and headed toward the wreckage. "I won't contaminate the scene, I'm just going to check things out!" I muttered to Harry as I walked away. I still found it so weird that I was friends with the guy who saved the world. A real live superman.

As I was snapping pictures of the smoking debris, and walking around, I got an amazing shot of a smoking photograph of Cedric. Putting a pit in my stomach, remembering why we were here. His dad was probably dead now too. War was a horrible thing, and it doesn't just end with the leaders of it. Ideas are alive and growing, ideas can't be killed. A glint of metal caught my eye and I bent down to pick up what looked like a piece of jewelry. As the pendent pulled from the ashes I heard a shout and spun around to see a hex coming my way from the woods. The spell missed, but as I looked down I realized that in my hand was a broken time turner. And it was spinning.

I turned to look into Harry's eyes mine wide as his and then he disappeared. The house built itself around me and people whirled past living entire lives around where I stood, until finally the spinning stopped and I vomited everywhere.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Getting Back to and Remembering the Last Time at Hogwarts**

Putting a hand over my mouth I wiped away the remaining vomit from my face and looked around. I was in the kitchen, and it was actually quite cute. It was 70's style, of what appeared to be a two story cottage. Nobody else was in the kitchen but that didn't mean that I was home alone. So I quickly went over to the kitchen sink and used the faucet water to rinse out my mouth and wash my hands. I then slid my wand out of the gauntlet my sister had made me and into my hand silently casting scourgify on the mess that lay before me. Quickly thrusting both my camera and the offending time turner into my bag I looked around for an escape.

Hearing footsteps upstairs my timeframe had to be escalated, so I used my wand to open the window on the other side of the round kitchen table and carefully and quietly as I could I dove outside and into a very large rose bush. Grunting in pain from the stab of the thorns, I slammed my back up against the house and stood still.

"That's weird, I thought I heard the faucet! Amos were you in the kitchen?" She heard a women exclaim muffled from being inside. "Amos! What have I told you about leaving the window open!" She scolded as she shut it, presumable with magic since she sounded like she was across the room. I heard a vaguely muffled male reply from inside.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in relief. I hadn't been caught. Well not yet anyway. I slowly inched myself around the rosebush keeping myself pressed against the house until I reached the stone stoop next to the front door. Looking around careful and not seeing anyone I hopped up, grabbing the copy of The Daily Prophet that lay on the doormat as I stood. Not having the time to read it yet, I stepped back scanning the windows for people before thrusting the profit in my bag and casting a quick disillusionment charm on myself, scurrying off directly into the woods instead of down the road. I'd be less likely to be noticed in the woods. Once I was far enough away from the house to have exited their magical wards I realized that there was a pretty good chance I had also set off an alarm so I picked up my pace. Not for the first time, I found myself wishing I had packed all of my investigative gadgets. This whole affair could have been so much easier if I was just prepared. But I really hadn't packed much, only the things I carried with me everywhere, having only expected to interview Harry at the Burrow today. I put my hand to my sweaty forehead exasperated, nothing ever happens when you're prepared for it. I should have known better.

Once I reached a stream that I recognized as being halfway between Luna's and Ginny's houses I stopped to catch my breath. Splashing the cool water on my face and slumping down into the damp soil next to the riverbed. I stuck my hand into my purse intending to grab the newspaper ,but my had hit the cold metal chain of the offending time turner instead.

"Where the hell did Amos get his hands on one of these, they were supposed to have all been destroyed in the battle at the department of mysteries 2 years ago…" I muttered to myself. The glass of the time turner was broken and the sand was gone, but it was going to be no good to me even if it wasn't completely wrecked. Time turners were only designed to go backward in time, nobody had even invented a way to go forward in time yet. I threw the time turner haphazardly on the ground beside me and pulled out the newspaper with my eyes closed.

I knew that I had to know what type of damage was done so that I could formulate a plan, but I really really really didn't want to know _when_ I was. It could be a few years I thought to myself. I'd be tempted to change things if I was given years, maybe I could save Cedric, the first casualty of the second wizarding war. Maybe I could save Ava, Remus, Tonks, Fred… But I was even more terrified that I had only gone back months and I would be stuck in the dark times again. With only the option of changing the fates of those who had been in The Battle of Hogwarts.

Taking a deep breath and steeling myself for the cold hard truth I opened my eyes and flipped open the paper to the front page.

August 13th 1976.

"1976? Are you fucking kidding me?" I exclaimed out loud. This had to be some kind of joke. A time turner had never been designed that could take people back decades, only hours. How the hell had I gone back 22 years. Was that even possible? I dropped the paper into my lap and scrubbed my face with my hands, pushing into my eyes with my palms. A habit I had picked up from Remus when I got particularly stressed.

"Remus!" I realized out loud. He would be… 16? The same age as me? It was weird to think of him as being an equal considering he had basically raised me. Nonetheless, he'd be going into his 6th year at Hogwarts in a few weeks.

For a few moments I entertained the idea of finding him, but he would think that I was absolutely insane. There was only one person I could think of crazy enough to believe me and help me navigate this shitstorm, and thankfully he happened to be alive currently. I had to find Albus Dumbledore.

"Where do teachers even go in the summer time? Do they have their own houses or…?" I trailed off thinking out loud. Grabbing the time turner and the newspaper I put all of my belonging into my bag and stood up, brushing what mud I could off of my jeans. I guess the only thing I could do is walk. I'll figure something out eventually I suppose.

I followed the river until I was back at a dirt road. I Tucked my wand back into the leather gauntlet Ava had made me for my 15th birthday and pulling the sleeve of my blue and black flannel shirt over it. Glancing down at my appearance I realized I'd have to make myself a bit more presentable if I wanted to not make people suspicious of me, now that I would be in public. I put my bag down on the ground and buttoned up the front of my flannel so that you could barely see a bit of my black tank top near my cleavage. The flannel covered up the tattoo on my collar bone, an elegant cursive script modeled after Remus' handwriting. "It is the quality of ones convictions that determines success, not the number of followers. -RJL" surrounded by 4 stars, one for each member of my family. Remus, Tonks, Teddy and Ava. I pulled down my left sleeve like I had my right, covering the ugly black spider like veins that spread from my wrist, up to my elbow, and down the tips of my pinky and ring fingers. The fingerless glove that my sister had fashioned me covering up the worst of it. A tattoo on my left forearm, right where a dark mark would be on a Death Eater was a large D, with umbledore's finished inside the letter, above a large A with rmy finished inside the letter above a picture of a galleon with the date of our first meeting on the top. I laced up my black combat boots the rest of the way and tied them, then sat down leaning against the guardrail and grabbed my bag.

I pulled out a small mirror and a brush. I didn't really do makeup anymore, unless it was part of a disguise so I was just glad to have those two items in there. Holding up the mirror I checked my face, wiping the dirt away from my pale skin with my sleeve. My ice blue eyes that just looked so broken that they distracted me for a moment, before I got back to work. When I caught sight of my dirty blond wavy hair I realized I looked like a homeless person.

It certainly looked like I had been lost in the woods. I brushed what I could, getting out majority of the leaves and twigs. My hair was about collar bone length, except for the part that I had shaved over my right ear showcasing a phoenix with the letters OOTP written underneath it. It probably wasn't my best decision if I ever wanted to be inconspicuous. I grabbed a plain red faded baseball cap out of my bag, it used to belong to my sister, and braided my hair over my right shoulder, ready to face the world.

I plucked a few thorns out of my forearms and thighs. It was a painful but necessary process. The holes in my flannel and jeans were just something I would have to live with after my run in with the rose bush. The thorns were gone, but the blood remained. Packing up my stuff again I set off trying to figure out how I would find Dumbledore in August.

After a while I finally made it into town and got a bus ticket to london. Thank Merlin I carry muggle and wizarding money with me at all times. And also that they didn't check the dates on the notes. Once in London I made my way to kings cross and got a ticket to Hogsmeade Station. The train leaves at 9 am on Sunday's, only once a week, and I just happened to make it there by 6 Sunday morning. I was so thankful that I wouldn't have to wait a whole week that I thought I might pass out in relief.

Once I was situated alone in my compartment I went back over everything I knew so far.

1\. I was stuck in August 1976 and would have to live out the rest of my life in this timeline

2\. I only have 12 pounds and 4 knuts left to my name

3\. I had to somehow find Albus Dumbledore and soon

4\. I was starving

5\. I smell

6\. Voldemort has already risen to power and Dumbledore is the only person he is afraid of

7\. Voldemort has already created at least a couple horcruxes

8\. I probably shouldn't do anything to change the future… right?

9\. I traveled back in time and still missed out on seeing Woodstock in person

All I had in my bag was a mirror, a brush, a water bottle, a camera, about 20 muggle pens, 2 muggle notebooks, and newspaper and a broken time turner. Lets just hope Dumbledore is as crazy now as he was back in my day, I thought tiredly. Falling asleep against the window.

I woke up to the train jolting to a stop. I cracked my neck as I stood up stretching. My left arm was being particularly stiff and painful today. I'd need to mix up some pain relief potion and anti-poison stuff. I was never much of a potioneer, but I knew how to make the potions that helped my arm feel better by heart. I grabbed my bag and made my way onto the station. There were only two other people getting off of the train and heading to Hogsmeade. I decided to follow them at a distance so that I wouldn't gain the attention of any unwanted people.

"I wonder if they send the train even if it's empty?" I contemplated as I made my way toward the village. It was around that point that I decided that there was no point in trekking all the way up to the castle if Dumbledore might not even be there. I decided to head to the Hogshead and see if Aberforth had started that yet. I knew it would be there in 1979 cause that's where Trelawny made the infamous prophecy, so I was fairly certain it would be established by now.

Walking through the town was eerie. Half of the shops I was used to were empty and other shops that were open were completely different from the Hogsmeade of my day. I braced myself outside of the Hogshead hoping there wouldn't be anyone too fowl there at 6pm.

When I opened the door it was quite inside. There was only two shady looking individuals in the corner making some kind of a business transaction and a bartender cleaning out a glass behind the counter, who I recognised as Aberforth. I blinked and looked back at the two in the corner, one of those men was definitely a vampire. Great.

'I'm sure it's a legal transaction and nothing suspicious' I thought to myself sarcastically. Vampires always gave me the chills. The very last thing I ever wanted to end up as was somebody's bloody mary at brunch.

The trick to getting along in places like this, especially being underaged, is to act like you belong there. I sauntered up to the bar taking out my last 4 knuts, just enough for a drink.

"Barman, one firewhiskey on the rocks please!" I said loudly plopping down on the bar stool and leaning over the counter so my cleavage was showing just a bit more. The change falling to the counter from my bum hand.

"There is no way you are 17 luv," Aberforth grumbled. Taking my money and giving me a butterbeer.

I scowled at him "I'm insulted, I'm 19!" I said indignantly, but accepted the drink anyway.

He just smirked at me, using a dirty cloth to clean out a different glass. This was definitely not a place you'd visit if you had a think about hygiene. It was a good thing that I had overcome my fear of germs over the last year.

"What is a young thing like you doing alone in a place like this?" He asked, totally ignoring my cleavage in exchange for staring into my eyes like he could see my soul.

"You caught me Aberforth," I grumble. If he was surprised I knew his name he certainly didn't show it. "I need to find Professor Dumbledore, and I thought you might know where he would be this time of year." I mumbled, trying to go for innocent instead of sexy.

"That's more like it!" He exclaimed happily, glad he figured me out. "Albus stays at the castle year round. As far as I know he should be there now, but we don't really talk much. Finish your drink quickly and head out, I don't like underage kids in my bar."

"Not underage." I grumbled again gulping down the hot drink.

"Yeah sure, that's why you still call him Professor Dumbledore." He boasted with a laugh. Levitating an empty keg and heading out back. I had never been able to fool Aberforth. It must be because he spends so much time around shady folks trying to get a read on them.

I took my last gulp and decided to make my way up to the castle.

"Thanks Aberforth!" I shouted as I made my way out the door.

I barely heard his grunted reply of "Good Riddance!" as the door slammed shut behind me. The walk to the castle was long and hot. I'd never been here during August before and now I knew why. I was extremely grateful that Hogsmeade weekends were never this warm, my friends and dates certainly wouldn't have found this amount of sweat attractive. At least the grumbling in my stomach had settled down a bit thanks to the butterbeer.

As I made my way toward the castle I realized that I didn't have the password to Dumbledore's office and contemplated my chances of guessing it. I knew that he always used sweets in my time, but even the number of sweets I knew of was an unrealistic number for me to bullshit my way through in a reasonable amount of time.

By the time I made it through the front gates of the grounds a flashback started to hit. I knew that there was a reason I refused to return to the site of the battle, where 2 members of my family and several friends had perished only a month ago.

* * *

"Perhaps you can confer with Mr. Finnigan, as I recall he has a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics," McGonagle explains distractedly to Neville, whom she had just instructed to take down the bridge leading to the castle from the end of the grounds near Hagrid's hut.

"I can take it down!" Seamus exclaimed as they took off down the hall.

"What about the kids, Professor?" I asked, refusing to take off after the rebel rousers until we had all of our own taken care of. "An 11 year old won't stand a chance against all this!" I said gesturing to the army that lay before us.

"Find a way to keep them safe! I need to help with the wards and castle defence Ms. Adler, I'm sure whatever plan you come up with will work and I'll give you as much time as I possibly can to come up with one!" She assured turning around towards the front door.

"Bloody Hell!" I exclaimed, pushing the palms of my hands into my eyes, taking a deep breath as I tried to come up with a plan.

"Nigel!" I shouted as a Gryffindor boy from third year rushed past. He screeched to a halt turning to look at me in confusion.

"Spread the word, all students too young to fight need to head toward the Hufflepuff Common Room!" I shouted over the yelling and confusion of everything happening around me.

"How young is too young?" He shouted back.

"Erm, I don't know?" I exclaimed back, thinking quickly. "Definaly 3rd year and below, any 4th years shouldn't feel shame about heading there either though!" I shouted trying to sound confident despite the fact that inside I was falling apart. 'Why the hell did I volunteer for this?'

"3rd year and under, got it!" He yelled bounding up the stairs.

"Emma!" I shouted at a fellow Ravenclaw who tried to brush past me. She turned to look at me in confusion. "Make sure all the 3rd years and under head toward the Hufflepuff common room, ok?" I asked.

She nodded blankly, "Where exactly is that?" She asked grabbing at her brown hair that was sporadically falling out of the bun that she usually had meticulously placed on top of her head.

"Down the stairwell across from the great hall, left at the at the end, down the stairwell take a right and then the next left and pull the 3rd candlestick from the right!" I exclaimed taking off toward the great hall to find a Hufflepuff.

"Is that by the kitchen's" Emma shouted back at me as I ran away.

"Exactly!" I yelled back before taking my corner.

"Hannah!" I exclaimed running into the friendly Hufflepuff from the year before me. She looked up at me stopping in her tracks. "Get all the students 3rd year and under to the Hufflepuff Common Room. Make sure whatever boobytraps you have are disabled and spread the word!" I shouted taking a turn toward the dungeons where I knew the Slytherin students had been taken by Mr. Filch.

"Got it!" I heard Hannah shout behind me.

By the time I made it to the dungeons I was out of breath but I could hear the voices of the Slytherin students. Apparently Mr. Filch hadn't taken the "dungeon" order as bringing them back to their own common room. They were all spread out around the potions classroom and corridor.

"I'm hear to collect anyone 3rd year and under who would like to evacuate the battle." I managed to gasp out.

"Who the hell are you?" Pansy shouted pushing her way toward the front and around Mr. Filch.

"Bree Adler, 6th year Ravenclaw." I managed to gasp out, finally catching my breath and raising up to my full height.

"And why the hell would 'Bree Adler' give a fuck about some Slytherin Firsties?" She sneered, grabbing the front of my sweater.

"Because they are kids, they haven't had to choose a side yet, and they certainly don't deserve to die over that choice!" I yelled in her face, pulling myself out of her grasp and whipping my wand out of my gauntlet and glaring into her eyes. Pansy readied her wand as well only a few feet away.

"First through third years, gather round!" I heard another female voice shout out calmy.

I broke my eye contact to see Astoria gathering the kids. "Which way?" Was all she asked. Astoria was perhaps the most reasonable Slytherin I had ever met, she was in my year and we often got paired together on transfiguration projects. We even sat by one another in muggle studies.

"Follow me." I declared. Finally managing to get the questioning tone out of my voice. I was in charge of saving all of the kids, I had to own it now and come up with a plan. I lead the Slytherin's toward the Hufflepuff common room, trying to come up with a plan from there.

"Where are we heading?" I heard Astoria ask behind me.

"The Hufflepuff common room." I stated slightly out of breath.

"Why there?" She asked.

"It's the middle of the castle, but toward the bottom. Structurally speaking it would be the most difficult to tear down and infiltrate. It'll give me time to figure out how to get everyone out." I muttered.

"You don't have a plan to get everyone out?" She exclaimed shocked, she managed to keep her voice down to not startle to kids though.

"I'm working on it!" I exclaimed with a hint of sarcasm.

Finally reaching the Hufflepuff/kitchen hallway I grabbed the candlestick and ushered them all in, entering last.

"All of the older students into the hall please!" I shouted over the noise of the very packed common room. "Nigel, Stay here and keep everyone calm!"

"Got it!" Nigel shouted back as the few older students in the room followed me out into the hall.

"Why the hell are the Slytherins here?" Ernie yelled grabbing my upper arm in a vice like grasp as soon as the portrait closed behind us.

"Because they are kids and they deserve to be here just as much as the kids from any other house!" I shouted back into his face, with so much strength in my conviction that he actually let go of my arm and took a few steps back. "Anyone who has a problem with that decision can leave. There is certainly enough work for you to do elsewhere in the castle at the present moment!"

There were a few mumbled protests, but nothing anybody said was loud enough to make out so I decided to continue. "Ok, so we have Astoria here from Slytherin, Ernie and Hannah here from Hufflepuff and Colin out here from Gryffindor and Emma and Jack out here from Ravenclaw. Is that right?"

After some mumbled agreements I asked "Do we have all of the kids 3rd year and under inside that room right there?" I said gesturing to the closed common room.

"Yes!" exclaimed Jack. A fourth year Ravenclaw who had a thing for numbers. "All 58 of them were present in the room along with Nigel." He exclaimed pushing his thick plastic glasses up the rim of his nose and pushing his dirty blond curls away from his eyes.

"Ok perfect. Now I need 2 of you posted at the top of the staircase to stop anyone who tries to come down here. They'll need to be our first line of defence!" I declared.

"Emma and I will do it!" Colin insisted.

"What are you waiting for?" I asked and the two took off.

"The rest of us need to guard this door with our lives and try to come up with a plan to get everyone out in the meantime." I declared, losing my gusto in favor of pushing my palms into my eyes. I could feel a migraine coming on. This was the worst possible timing.

"I still don't get what she's doing here." Ernie sneered referring to Astoria. Astoria, much to her credit didn't rise to the bait, but instead continued to look at me for direction.

"She is here because she is a human being. She doesn't believe in prejudice against non magical people and she does believe in saving the lives of innocent children. Now shut your pie hole and don't open it again until you have a plan!" I shouted back at Ernie.

"I'm going to go defend the stairwell." Ernie grumbled.

"Be my guest." I grumbled back irritated that he couldn't work with me on this. On what was potentially all of our last day on this planet. "Ok people," I said turning toward my remaining idea party. "We represent 3 out of the 4 Hogwarts houses, that's 3 different ways of thinking, surely between the 4 of us we can come up with something!" I exclaimed begging to pace back and forth. "Think out loud!" I prompted.

"What about appar…" Hannah began as a colossal bang shook the walls around us.

"What about what?" I asked prompting her to continue.

"What… about apparition?" She asked stuttering nervously over her words. I had already began shaking my head as she continued "I mean I know none of us can, but surely one of the adults…"

"No that won't work." Jack stated dejectedly.

"Why not?" Hannah asked innocently.

"Because there are apparition wards up around the whole school. Otherwise any old wizard on any side could get in." Astoria stated, slumping down the stone wall in a very uncharacteristic and unladylike gesture of defeat.

What she had said made me freeze. "Say that again!" I demanded.

"There are apparition wards around the whole school?" Astoria stated as a question while the wall shook around us again.

"No the other part!"

"That if there weren't anyone could get in?" Astoria stated confidently.

"No you said any old wizard on any side could get in." Jack stated as his usual know it all self.

"Is that important?" Hannah asked.

"It's the most important!" I exclaimed. My eyes catching the painting of the fruit bowl just down the hall. A memory of how I had escaped Malfoy Manor playing behind my eyes. I rushed toward the fruit bowl ready to make the negotiations of a lifetime.

* * *

A lot of people had died during that battle. But nobody under the age of 13 had. I was accredited that victory, but it really didn't feel like much of a victory at all. 50 good people had still died that day. Including Remus and his beloved Tonks. I should have done more.

I shook myself out of my hopeless reverie and continued to make my way toward the castle. The house elf epiphany solving my earlier problem. If I just headed toward the kitchens before his office one of the elves could let him know that I was one my way. It was a perfect plan really. One that my stomach surely agreed with after days of traveling to get here.

As I pushed open the huge front doors to the castle I realized just how quiet it was. It was really unnerving being in the castle while it was so… empty. I made my way toward the kitchens, seeing the ghosts of dead classmates that I had walked by the last time I was in these halls as I went. I could really barely keep my composure.

The only thing that kept me moving forward was the fact that I had a mission that I needed to accomplish. That was why I had chosen to skip my 6th and 7th years. I couldn't just walk in these halls and be happy again. I couldn't really be happy anywhere again. The war had taken too much out of me. The only way I could keep from breaking down was to keep busy by giving myself case after case and mission after mission. I was really just lucky that there was so much to do when cleaning up after a war.

Before I knew it I had made it all the way to the kitchens. I stopped briefly before tickling the pear on the portrait of the fruit bowl remembering the last time I had interacted with this particular painting.

"Hello?" I stated, surprised at how quickly the house elves had congregated around me as the castle shook around us. I looked out nervously at all of the tennis ball eyes staring at me, wondering what in the bloody hell I was doing here right now, while I tried to find the words that I wanted to say.

* * *

"Look," I started gulping. One of the elves handed me a glass of water which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "Thank you!" I said taking the glass from the elf and using the water to lubricate my dry throat before continuing. "Look, I know that you are all servants here, I know you don't get paid, and I know that you all do your jobs extremely well." I rambled getting off on the wrong foot I imagined as the elves gave me a bit of an angry stare and Jack gave me a polite cough to let me know I wasn't doing this right. Jack had been the only one of our group to follow me into the Kitchens, the others staying behind to guard the door.

"All I'm saying is, I know you all have a job to do, and I know you all do it well but ummm.." I thought about what I wanted to say next trailing off at the end of my sentence. "But once, a few months ago I had been held captive by some really evil wizards." I decided just to go for it. " I had been tortured for months… my sister… she died there… but right when I was going to give up, one of Hogwarts House Elves appeared in our cell. His name was Dobby, he came and he saved us, even though he didn't have to, it wasn't in his job description or anything. He got 6 wizards and a goblin out of that hell hole before he was killed. He was perhaps the bravest being I have ever known." I said my voice getting quieter and tears streaming down my face.

"I'm not going to tell you that you have to do anything for us," I continued. "You do everything that you are supposed to do for us and more. But I'm asking, no I'm begging, that if any of you are even a fraction of the elf that Dobby was that you will help us!" I stated my voice getting stronger and my body less shaky. "I'm not asking you to fight, I'm asking you to protect, to help get the youngest of the children out from inside the anti-apparition wards and to a safe house!" I yelled, passion getting the better of me. "You are their only hope! We stand up against an army of thousands, an army of hate, and the only way we can wind against something like that is to love one another, and that doesn't just mean wizards loving other wizards, but all magical creatures working together for the good of the world. Just please! Help me save the innocent!" I begged looking around the room, the only being in the room that I dared make eye contact with was Jack who gave me a slight nod of encouragement from his position closer to the door as I stood surrounded by elves.

"What does Miss need us to do?" A low voice wheezed from the middle of the crowd. The relief I felt was so palpable I could taste it. It didn't taste quite like victory, but it was something bordering on hope.

* * *

When I walked inside I was greeted almost immediately by a very friendly and very surprised house elf.

"Hello Miss, I am Coddy Miss! How can I's be helping Miss today?" The young house elf wheezed out frantically giving a sloppy curtsy that made me break out in a smile.

"Why hello Miss Coddy, My name is Bree and I was hoping you could help me get a sandwich and an audience with Professor Dumbledore?" I asked trying to be as polite as possible.

Coddy beamed at me, dropping into another curtsy. "Coddy has never been referred to as a Miss before Miss Bree. Coddy likes Miss Bree. Please Take a seat and Coddy will be helping you!" and with the elf pushed her down into a chair by the fireplace, which wasn't lit, thank Merlin because it was hot enough outside already. Another elf dropped off a plate with a sandwich while Coddy popped off, presumably to find Dumbledore for her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Getting Situated In the Past**

I finished my sandwich in what must had been world record timing, chasing it down with a scorching hot cup of tea that left my tongue tingling. Now that my primal needs were taken care of I took a few minutes to think about what the hell I was going to say to Dumbledore. The lines that I had been practicing on my journey seeming far from adequate. If I actually just said "Hi Professor, yes we've met before, I'm from the future." He'd likely throw me in the loony bin. Well at least a sane person would. Had time travel even begun to be investigated yet?

I was broken from my musings by Coddy pulling on my sleeve. I hadn't even heard her arrive. I really needed to stop getting so distracted. It was going to get me killed.

"Mr. Dumbledore said he will be seeing Miss. He said his password is Jellybaby if Miss Bree would like to head there now! Do you know the way?" Coddy wheezed brightly, looking up at me from where she still clutched my sleeve.

"I know the way." I reassured with a small smile. "Thank you Miss Cody, you have been most helpful!" I thanked, putting my hand out for a shake. I knew that most wizards don't treat elves as equals, but after how many times they had saved my arse it was the least of what they deserved.

Coddy looked at my hand totally baffled.

"It's a handshake, it's how wizards greet and thank one another." I explained tentatively, hoping I hadn't offended her.

Coddy's eyes light up, absolutely delighted. "And Miss is wanting to shake Coddy's hand?" She asked excitedly.

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked with a small chuckle, and that was all the reassurance Coddy needed before thrusting her hand out in front of her like mine was. I grabbed a hold of her hand and gave it a small shake before dropping it the elf looking like she might explode with happiness.

"Will I be seeing Miss Bree again?" She asked hopefully as I stood and made my way to the door.

"I believe you will Miss Coddy!" I said beaming at her as I opened the portal and stepped outside of it. "I believe you will." I muttered again to myself, trying to keep myself in the present and not caught up with memories again.

The treck to the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office was nearly panic inducing as I passed the place where Lavender had been eaten alive and the place where Fred had been blown away.

I stood nervously in front of the statue, wondering if I really wanted to do this. I hadn't come up with a plan yet. "Password?" The gargoyle asked simply.

"Jellybaby," I stated confidently before giving the gargoyle another chance to prompt me, deciding that my life was already a shit storm, I might as well just go with it and see what happens.

The gargoyle turned revealing the all too familiar spiral staircase. I cautiously made my way upstairs not entirely sure what I would be greated with. Once I stepped into the room I saw Professor Dumbledore sitting behind his desk, glancing up at me from a stack of parchment.

"Hello Miss…?" Dumbledore greeted, waiting for me to introduce myself.

"Bree Ann Adler, sir." I responded softly, walking up to stand in front of his desk with my hand outstretched for a shake. .

"Hello Miss Bree Ann Adler," He replied with a small twinkle in his eyes, standing to return the shake before settling back down and gesturing of for me to take the seat in front of his desk, which I did gladly. "Coddy said that you were looking for me, so I can assume that an introduction won't be necessary?" He asked with a curious smile.

"Not at all sir, we've met before." I responded softly, trying to keep up my confident facade.

"Have we?" He asked his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Well yes, but that sort of leads us to why I'm here today."

"And why is that Miss Adler?"

"Umm well, bare with me here it's a strange story…" I mumbled losing a bit of my confidence.

"I often find with that with strange stories that sometimes the best course of action is to simply begin telling them." Dumbledore reassured.

"I was born on August 2nd, 1981." I started looking into Dumbledore's eyes to gage his reaction. They didn't give anything away though.

"I see," He stated resting his index fingers on his upper lip in thought. "You are aware that it is currently August of 1976?" He asked gently.

"I know sir, I haven't technically been born yet. Now anyway. You see in a few years the department of mysteries starts to meddle with time. I'm not exactly sure when, or if they have already started really. They manage to create a device known as a time turner, which actually manages to reverse time by hours. Five hours to be exact. It was determined the maximum amount of time a person could go back and not disturb the very fabric of time." I explained and gauged Dumbledore's reaction. He hadn't sent out any kind of distress call to the St. Mungo's so I decided to continue. "As far as I was aware, and the Ministry too for that matter, there were no devices yet created that could send a person back further than that. I however found a device that looked extremely similarly to those from the ministry when I was at the wreckage of a wizard's house. There had been some kind of explosion and the whole house was in smithereens. I pulled it out of the ashes not knowing what it was when an attack came from the woods, which caused it to spin. By the time the world and the time turner stopped spinning it appeared to be broken." I explained pulling out the remains of the time turner from my bag and laying them on his desk. I watched him pick up the pieces carefully and examine each one. "Best I can figure this man had been meddling with the technology for some reason and had figured out a way to get further back in time. He may have figured out a way to get back too. Nobody but him would know that, and besides now that it is broken I reckon I'm stuck here."

So you have come to us from the future because of some accidental magic with this strange object here that has yet to be invented?" Dumbledore asked placing the pieces back down on the desk as he summed up my predicament.

"Yeah, and I'm out of money and have nowhere to go…" I trailed off.

"We can fix that dear. Not a problem at all. We have dealt with stranger things than a young witch out of her time. No the problem here is what do we do now that you're here. Meddling with time I can assume is a very dangerous affair. We may not know how to meddle with time yet, but time is never a simple thing." Dumbledore mused scratching his beard a bit.

"Oh trust me, I know. I've seen the muggle movie 'Back to the Future.' The way I figure it, there are two possibilities of how this could all turn out. It could be like when you use a regular ministry regulated time turner and it doesn't matter what I do while I'm here because in my time it will have already happened anyway. Or… well the other possibility is that just me being here has sent us off into an alternate reality. I could change things and set the future off in an entirely different direction, or I could try to keep everything the same. But if I try to keep everything the same just my presence here could make changes anyway." I said quickly. My nervous rambling returning to me with a vengeance as I had to stop to suck in a breath of air.

"Do slow down dear," Dumbledore requested motioning for me to slow down with both hands out in front of him.

"Sorry, I can be a bit of a nervous talker," I continued, pushing into my eyes with my palms to calm down. "I guess that what I'm saying is that it doesn't really matter if I decide to change anything or not. Time travel is confusing." I whined with my hands still in front of my face.

"That it is dear," Dumbledore reassured. "I will not try to force any information out of you about the future. What you do with that knowledge is your choice alone. I will simply let you know that I am here to hear whatever you wish to divulge in me, and remind you that even the very fact you are from the future could be quite dangerous for you and us. I will therefore simply request that you use caution while divulging that information to others." He replied gently. I looked up from under my hands to look him in the eyes. "I will not however, allow you to make any decisions regarding the future while you are still so travel weary. Take some time to recover before seeking me out to discuss the war effort, my dear," He reassured, his hands steepling under his nose again.

"Now for our immediate concerns. What to do with you for the time being. We will of course set you up with a place to live, have you finished school yet? You look quite young. How old are you?" He questioned. Looking around his office for some type of inspiration for what to do with me before his eyes settled back onto my nervous frame.

"Ummm… Well I haven't exactly finished school, and I'm 16. I had to drop out after my OWL's because of the war and getting kidnapped and everything." I muttered embarrassed. "I don't particularly want to continue my education though!" I hastily continued. I was both afraid that he would place me somewhere else and afraid that he might ask me to return to the school that haunted my dreams.

"Well that settles it. We'll get you sorted and send you into your 6th year! I'll contact a trusted family of someone in your house to look after you for the next couple of weeks and then we can make other arrangements for next summer if that is what you desire!" He exclaimed happily. Standing up to grab the sorting hat from the shelf over his head.

Not having the heart to argue going back to school, I accepted my fate. I knew it would be the safest place for me to stay while I figured out a plan for the future, but I still grimaced at the idea of returning before replying. "Excuse me sir, but I was sorted before. Back in my time I was a Ravenclaw."

"Ah yes, you were sorted back in your time. But you haven't been sorted yet! Lets just give it a check, just in case!" He exclaimed excitedly as he tossed me the hat across his desk. His eyes twinkled as I gingerly picked it up and placed it on. Still not entirely sure why he was making me re-sort if he was so willing to trust me on the other far more questionable things we had been discussing. Things like time travel.

God I hope this thing doesn't have lice from all those first years.

'I should certainly hope not' The hat exclaimed in my head, of course responding to my accusation of lice.

'Hello' I responded cautiously.

'Let's see where we should put you..' The hat mussed, ignoring my pleasantries completley.

'You sorted me into Ravenclaw before.' I supplied.

'Yes….' It mused. 'I can see that, but I was torn between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor before, wasn't I?' It asked, not waiting for an answer. 'And besides. You really aren't thinking like your Ravenclaw half anymore. Not with the time travel in the mix.'

'What do you mean? How am I not thinking like a Ravenclaw. I am a Ravenclaw, so the only way I could possibly be thinking is like one.' I was so confused.

'I mean that you plan on changing the future regardless of the fact that logic is telling you to keep the results of the war the same. You might not have realized it yet, but you have already made your mind up about that. And that is a very reckless and very brave way of thinking. No, your not a Ravenclaw. Not anymore. You're a "GRYFFINDOR!"' The hat started shouting out the last word and leaving me sitting in shocked silence.

"But.." I started, still stunned at the results. "But I can't be a Gryffindor, I've been a Ravenclaw my whole life!" I complained, swiping the offending hat off my head hastily and handing it over to Dumbledore. A Gryffindor? Really?

Dumbledore simply smiled at me knowingly before picking the hat up off his desk and putting it away. "The hat is never wrong about these things Ms. Adler."

Grumbling to myself I sank deeper into the chair. Not feeling brave enough to be a Gryffindor in the least. Not even brave enough to argue with Dumbledore about how clearly wrong the hat was. I changed the subject instead begrudgingly. "Sir I really don't need a guardian or anything. I can manage just fine on my own. I just need a little financial assistance, and to know that you'll listen to whatever I decide to tell you and then I'll be on my way." I reassured. Trying to sit a bit taller, so that he might mistake me for an adult.

"Nonsense. If we don't want people getting suspicious of you then we need you to be treated like any other 16 year old. I'll get in touch with some trusted parents of some Gryffindor 6th years and find a place for you to stay. A safe place to stay. You'll be safe so long as you're here at Hogwarts as well." He reassured. Already pulling a fresh sheet of parchment toward himself to write a letter.

"Ummm I guess." I grumbled, losing my will to fight him on that topic as well. Fatigue was really getting to me.

"Coddy?" Dumbledore called out and she appeared with a crack beside him.

"Yes Mr. Dumbledore?" She squeaked.

"Would you please show Ms. Adler to the Gryffindor common room and get her a fresh set of clothes?" Dumbledore asked kindly gesturing towards me.

"Of course Mr. Dumbledore! Oh Ms. Bree, is it you that I is helping?" Coddy asked as her eyes followed Dumbledore's gesture toward me.

"Yes it is Miss Coddy!" I said with a tired smile, standing up. Coddy's eyes lit up as she gave Dumbledore a deep bow before grabbing my hand like we were old friends and whisking us away to the portrait of the Fat Lady with a _crack._

I swayed dizzily as I heard Coddy talk to me "The password is _Timere Bellator_ , I'll be being right back!" She assured, not even noticing how I swayed on the spot before disappearing with another crack.

I dizzily muttered the password to the portrait making my way quickly inside where I collapsed on an overstuffed chair near the door. _Crack!_

"I is not sure if this is being the right size for Ms. Bree, but if Ms. Bree would like to shower then Coddy can wash and repair Ms. Brees own clothes." Coddy wheezed excitedly as she handed me a stack of old Gryffindor hogwarts robes and a towel. A bottle of shampoo and conditioner was balanced on top of the pile. Along with a toothbrush and some mint flavored toothpaste. The elf was adorable. She couldn't remember to show me how to get to the common room by myself, but she did remember soap and toothpaste?

I laughed lightly to myself clutching the stack, "Thank you Ms. Coddy, that would be lovely!" I replied excitedly. "I'll just leave my clothes down here on this chair before I head to bed or anything, does that work?" I asked her politely.

"That would be working nicely Ms. Bree!" She replied happily nodding. She grabbed my elbow gently forcing me to get up and follow her as she pushed me toward a staircase. "The girls rooms be up there Miss." She said.

"Thank you Coddy!" said as genuinely as I could making my way up the staircase. Nearly tripping on the first few steps, deciding to just go into the first room I came to despite the fact that it was for another year. The tell tale _crack_ of Coddy disappearing filled the stairwell before I even opened the door.

Ignoring the beds I made my way directly into the washroom, dropping my stack on the counter and starting one of the showers before making my way back to the counter. I slowly removed my bag, my glove and my gauntlet.

The gauntlet really was an ingenious design from my younger sister. She had decided that the worst thing that could happen to a wizard in battle was becoming disarmed. So she developed a method where the wand would remain attached to the wizard via the small unbreakable thread that connected the wand to the gauntlet, which would be tightly fastened to the wizard and was made out of durable dragon-hide. Sure the wizard would still be thrown along with their wand when someone tried to disarm them, but they would never be more than a few inches away from their wand. Therefore, they would never have to be truly defenseless, unless the were knocked unconscious. If only she had given it to me sooner…

I slowly removed the rest of my clothing before stepping into the shower and washing off the grime that had accumulated over the past few days. As I was rinsing off the last of the soap, I remembered that I had been taking notes for Harry's Biography. Notes that were all in my bag. Notes that if they made it into the wrong hands would ruin everything.

Quickly drying off I realized that Coddy didn't give me any underwear. I hastily dressed, going commando. I had to roll the pants so that they would stay up, and the shirt buttons were pulling, but hopefully I wouldn't have to be in these clothes for long. I brushed my teeth then hastily put all of the soap products and toiletries into my bag, wrapping my wet hair up in the towel. I then quickly fastening the glove and gauntlet on my wrists and threw the bag over my shoulder, grabbing the soiled clothes and heading down to the common room.

I tossed the dirty clothes onto my chair from earlier and made my way toward the fireplace.

"Coddy?" I asked hesitantly, being unfamiliar with how one would call a house elf.

 _Crack!_ "Yes Miss?" She asked happily.

"Hi Coddy!" I smiled. "I was wondering if you could start and fire and clean my old clothes for me? If it's not too much trouble?" I asked hesitantly.

"Why of course Ms. Bree. It's being no trouble at all Miss!" She exclaimed happily. The fire starting with a snap of her fingers as she quickly grabbed my stack of clothes and disappeared.

Dropping down to the floor next to the fireplace I pulled my bag strap off of me, shuffling through my belongings to find the notebook. It really only consisted of notes from the past year of Harry's adventure, but I decided I would read them all through, memorize what I could and burn the evidence before going to sleep. The heat of the fire making me even more exhausted as page by page the notes disappeared, and I fell into a dreamless abyss.

 _Crack!_

"Good Morning Ms. Bree!" Coddy awakened her suddenly with her cheery greeting. "I has Misses clothes, and breakfast for Miss!" She giggled as I yawnned. Placing a plate with some toast and scrambled eggs next to me. My clothes lay on the chair next to her in a neat pile.

"Thank you so much Coddy!" I exclaimed as I excitedly dug into my breakfast.

"Mr. Dumbledore would like to see Ms. Bree once she is done with her breakfast, would Ms. Bree be needing Coddy to bring her?" The elf asked cheerily.

"No thank you Ms. Coddy, I can manage!" I reassured hastily through my full mouth of food. I did not want to apparate or anything of the like so soon after eating. Luckily I had spent many days and nights in the Gryffindor Common Room with Ginny, so I wouldn't get lost on my way.

"Ms. Coddy will be needing to go back to work then Ms. Bree," Coddy said sadly. "Will Ms. Coddy be seeing Ms. Bree again?" She asked hopefully with a tug on my sleeve. I quickly swallowed my mouth full of eggs and put down the near empty plate.

"Yes you will Ms. Coddy," I reassured. "I will be back here for school at the start of the term." I added begrudgingly.

"Oh! That is wonderful news Miss! Just wonderful!" Coddy beamed. "I will be seeing Ms. Bree soon! Goodbye Ms. Bree!" She said excitedly. Grabbing my hand into a light handshake before popping away.

"Goodbye Ms. Coddy," I chuckled to the now empty space in front of my. Grabbing a piece of toast and my belongings and heading back upstairs to the bathroom, leaving the remnants of my breakfast behind.

After quickly brushing my teeth and changing back into my real clothes (which I noticed all of the holes had been lovingly patched on top of all the stains being scrubbed out) I made my way toward Dumbledore's Office.

I was once again sitting across from Dumbledore when he broke the news. The family that he had chosen for me to stay with was the Potter's. Of course it would be the Potter's! This would at least make some of the changes I needed to make easier. Like the hat had said last night, I had already made my mind up about changing certain things in the future. There were lives ruined in this war unnecessarily, and if I could change them then I felt like I had an obligation to do so.

"So we will meet Fleamont Potter at the Leaky Cauldron in an hours time to discuss your arrangements for the next few weeks. I will of course, personally give you some gold to get any supplies that you might need for school, and that just leaves us with one matter of business. What were your O.W.L scores Ms. Adler, and what courses would you like to continue taking next term?" He asked calmly as if they were talking about the weather and not my future, which could easily be our future.

"Oh well I got O's in Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic and Charms, E's in Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmacy, A's in Potions, Transfiguration and Herbology. I guess I'd like to continue Defense, History, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmacy if possible? Honestly I'll take whatever you enroll me in."

"Wonderful," He responded absently as he took notes down.

"Excusme me Sir?" I asked hestiantly.

"Yes Ms. Adler?" Dumbledore prompted.

"Why did you beleive me so easily? I mean, I fully expected you to send me to the loony bin, or make me do some sort of test to prove everything. You never even asked me what side I would be on in the war. How can you trust me so soon to meeting me?" I asked, wincing at how insecure I sounded as I picked at the skin around my left thumb nail.

"The answer to that my dear girl is quite simple. When you have been alive as long as I have, you don't need magic to read people or their intentions. You can simply draw those conclusions yourself based on all of your past experiences. And in my past experiences, people display their true selves when dealing with their inferiors. And Coddy truly loves you despite only just meeting you. A dark wizard would never take the care to earn a house elves trust and loyalty so quickly as that. It may seem like a silly way to judge, but it is one of the best ways I have detected so far. Besides, I can see that your being truthful just by the look in your eyes." He said rambling in a very non-Dumbledore fashion. God I hope my nervous habits aren't catchy.

"No, that makes sense I guess…" I muttered "Sirius once said something quite similar, he said that _'If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals'."_

"Perhaps I had more of an effect on that boy than I thought?" He asked with a smile, the familiar twinkle present in his eyes.

"I guess so," I muttered smiling at him. "Sir, would it be possible for me to grab a few potion ingredients before we leave? I asked rolling up my sleeve to show him the dark grey webbing that was spreading from my wrist. "I need to treat it with a potion every few days to make the effects subside," I explained.

"Please go grab whatever you need quickly and come straight back here so we can flu to the Leaky Cauldron!" He said with a reassuring smile. Not asking how I got it, not asking if it hurt, just unquestioningly giving me the permission to raid the school stores for supplies.

"Thank you sir, I'll be back before you know it!" I grunted as I pushed myself out of the chair and hurried to grab the supplies I needed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Meeting Mr. Potter**

I stepped out of the fireplace in The Leaky Cauldron gingerly. Very aware of how magical travel, no matter what means used, always made me feel a bit sick and dizzy. I glanced up in time to see Dumbledore follow me out of the flu. I took a moment to appreciate just how covered in soot he was. I somehow never imagined a wizard of such prestige managing to get dirty.

My musings were cut short when, with a flick of his wand, the soot disappeared off of both him and myself. I took the soot free opportunity to gulp in a big breath of fresh air. Finally feeling like I wouldn't lose my breakfast by looking around I examined the bar. It was 11 am, so it was relatively empty. There were 5 guests and a bartender in the room, besides Dumbledore and myself. The bartender I recognized as a much younger version of Tom who worked there in my day. There were two witches who looked like they were in their mid 20's eating a rather sad looking breakfast of watery eggs and pale tea by the front door. An old man who I would have mistaken for being homeless if it weren't for the stash of illegal eggs he was trying to hide in his pockets sat at the bar, on the side furthest from the flu. He was clearly hear to do some business. A wizard in his late 20s early 30's sat near the door that lead toward diagon alley smoking a pipe with his black hood up covering his eyes, and finally there was a sharp looking wizard sitting in a fairly secluded booth, furthest away from the rest of the patrons.

That man had gray hair, blue eyes and a dark gray set of expensive wizards robes. His dress shoes were made from dragon hide, and although he seemed like he was immersed in reading the Daily Prophet he was clearly aware of all of the other patrons in the bar by the way he turned his head to get us in his peripheral vision right when we arrived. I had a feeling that this must be Fleamont Potter.

Looking back at Dumbledore I saw that he too was eyeing the rich looking secluded wizard, before he made his way over to the booth.

Without looking up from the paper the man spoke to Dumbledore in a gruff and irritated voice. "I can't believe I still waiste my time reading this crap. It's complete an utter dragon dung. They haven't got a single non-biased reporter on the payroll!" He exclaimed before suddenly slamming the paper down on the table in front of him.

"Well I'm afraid I cannot offer unbiased news either Fleamont," Dumbledore responded with a small smile. Fleamont's angry facade melted away into a smile as he let out a small laugh.

"Please take a seat! It's great to see you again Albus!" He exclaimed, gesturing toward the bench across the table from himself. "You must be Bree," He said kindly, jutting his hand toward me for a shake. I took it gingerly for a small shake as he continued. "Albus has of course told us all about your little… situation. Us being me and my wife Euphemia."

I looked at Dumbledore startled. Hadn't he just told me not to divulge information about my situation to anyone. "And what situation is that Mr. Potter?" I asked evenly, my eyes not leaving Dumbledore as I waited for a reply.

"Well, that you've had a bit of a time traveling problem and you need some temporary guardians for the time being while you get situated here…" Fleamont muttered quietly so that the others in the bar couldn't hear him. My stare turned into a glare, as I waited for Dumbledore's response. He at least had the decency to shift uncomfortably, even if it was only slight.

"Yes, Ms. Adler, I did inform the Potters about your situation once they agreed to take you in. I felt it was only fair given the risk they would be taking on, should your secret get into the wrong hands." He explained, no longer giving off any inkling of uncomfortableness and instead giving of the heir of authority.

"I wouldn't have argued that, I would have just like to have been informed of that." I grumbled finally sinking down onto the bench across from Fleamont, leaving Dumbledore standing next to the table. "Especially since you were the one who just told me how careful I needed to be with divulging anything like that!" I muttered accusingly turning back toward Fleamont. I could see Dumbledore summon a chair and take a seat at the head of the table, rather than asking either of us to budge over.

"Mr. Potter," I addressed the man sitting across from me for the first time directly. He met my eyes and gestured for me to continue. "I trust that you are then fully aware of the situation and its potential hazards, and that I can trust that you will not divulge this information to anyone without my explicit consent?" I asked firmly.

"Of course!" He exclaimed, as if scandalized that I might think anything else of him.

"Including your son?" I prompted.

"It is not my secret to tell Ms. Adler, I give you my word. Your secret is safe with me. I'll make sure my wife knows where we stand on this as well." He replied. It was a good answer. Of course, I already knew I could trust the Potter's. They had never been on the wrong side of history and all of them had a history of being trusting and trusted individuals. I was more vexed by the fact that Dumbledore had let my secret out, without my consent.

"Now that introductions are taken care of, I think I will take my leave." Dumbledore explained, despite the fact that he had only just sat down.

"You're just going to up and leave?" I asked in slight panic. Despite trusting Fleamont, I still had no idea who he was really.

"I assure you, you are quite safe in the hands of Fleamont and Euphemia, my dear." Dumbledore reassured, before standing up and leaving the two of us sitting at the table awkwardly.

"Umm.." I began at the same time that he also started speaking with a "So…" We both pause for the other to go first. Finally I just went for it, "What do you do for a living Mr. Potter?"

"Oh Fleamont is Fine dear, I'm retired actually. I invented some some hair potions back in the day so we're doing quite well in retirement really. Before you ask, Euphemia volunteers down at St. Mungo's most days. I try to help out with the war effort here and there, what about you? What are your hobbies or anything?" He asked kindly.

"Well, I fancy myself a bit of a writer," I admitted. "I've done a bit of investigative journalism that actually got 4 different Deatheaters sentenced to life in Azkaban back in my time. I was even starting to write a series of biographies about a famous wizard, the one who managed to end the war." I divulged, trying to keep a few details to myself while intentionally letting a few key details get out.

"What time are you from Bree?" Fleamont prodded. I had assumed that Dumbledore told them everything.

"I was born on August 2nd 1981, I'm currently 16 years old." I informed him. HIs face fell immediately.

"Blimey, are you telling me that it takes over 2 decades for this dispute to settle?" He asked seemingly completely flabbergasted.

"Well it did only end a couple of months ago, so yes?" I replied, phrasing it like it was a question even though we both knew it wasn't.

"But we win right?" He asked looking for at least some solace.

"Yeah, twice." I replied my eyes drifting to the paper he was reading when we arrived.

"Twice? How do you win a war twice?" He exclaimed, barely keeping his voice low.

"Perhaps this is a better conversation for a different location?" I asked looking around the pub. Particularly looking at the smoking man in the hood. He didn't appear to be able to hear us, but it wasn't worth the risk.

"Right, right, of course, sorry about that!" Fleamont apologized, folding up the paper that my eyes had been glancing over. "Is there anything you need to pick up from diagon alley before we head back to the house? Euphemia will take you shopping tomorrow for some fresh clothes and things…" He trailed off clearly having no idea what types of things a teenage girl might require.

"I'm sure I'll be fine until tomorrow Mr. Potter," I assured with a smile. He smiled back gratefully. Clearly not a fan of shopping in any capacity.

"Right then, we can either do some side along apparition or go by flu then." He stated brightly. I immediately frowned at the prospects, not a fan of any type of magical travel, despite a broomstick, but I appreciated being asked all the same.

"Ummm… I guess apparition?" I chose, already bracing myself of the experience.

"Side along apparition it is!" He exclaimed brightly standing from the table and gesturing for me to do the same. "Just grab onto my arm and we'll be off my dear!" I slowly stood up and took his arm, holding my breath. "And in 3..2..1" As he said one I felt the jolt and my stomach and head were spinning before we even landed on the ground.

"There we are dear, all done." I heard Mr. Potter say as he adjusted his hold on my arm to keep me steady as I regained my bearings. Finally looking up I saw the Potter's mansion for the first time. It was elegant and a very 18th century style home. We were standing outside of a large rod iron fence that surrounded a majority of the property, inside the fence and past the gate was an elaborate court yard with bushes and benches and a few species of flowers that I couldn't identify. The home itself was 3 stories and brick with a vines covering at least half of the brick in the front.

"Do you not have a fidelius charm then?"I asked as I continued to marvel the property. He opened the gates magically before responding.

"A what?"

"You know, a fidelius charm. It's a protective charm that goes on a property, so that nobody can see it. Only the secret keeper can tell people where you are and allow them to see it and therefore penetrate the property lines…?" I asked.

"I haven't even heard of that!" Mr. Potter exclaimed. "Do you know who invented that and when?"

"I'm not sure, I think its ancient. I'd ask Dumbledore, he knows how to do it…" I muttered, uncomfortable with bringing this information up. Adults usually hated it when someone they considered to be a child knew more than them.

"Is that so?" Mr. Potter muttered excitedly as we began to make out way toward the house. "I'll have to send him an owl and we'll get one put up." He reassured me definitively. A lump of nervousness that I hadn't even realized had sunk in melted away at the reassurance.

"Ok, good, thanks." I smiled up at him, he returned the smile, raising his wand to open the front door. "Wait!" I all but shouted hastily before the door could budge.

"What is it?" Fleamont asked, looking around in a panic as if we were under attack.

"Sorry, I'm just nervous... Who will be home?" I asked, pulling the front of my baseball cap down lower so that it would cover my eyes a bit in my nervousness.

Fleamont relaxed at the question, there being no immediate danger present, and bent down to be at eye level with me. "It's just James home right now, Euphemia will be home around 3:00, and James' friends Remus and Peter will be by to spend the week here right before school starts. There's absolutely nothing to be nervous about, ok?" He reassured, holding onto my shoulders in a gesture of support. Or maybe he was trying to keep me from running, I was definitely feeling too flighty to be a Gryffindor in this moment. The hat was definitely wrong this time round.

"Ok, I can do this," I muttered more to myself than to him.

"Yes you can," He smiled at me, straightening up and letting go of my arms. With a flick of his wrist the giant front doors opened to reveal a large grand entry way, complete with a grand staircase and a grand piano. It's like they looked up objects that started with the word grand and just decided they all belonged together in the same room. The color scheme was grandiose as well with whites, grays and golds spread out in elaborate patterns. The stairs themselves were marble. These people were loaded.

"Welcome home Bree," He smiled, nudging me forward through the doorway.

 _ **A/N: Hi guys, thanks for being patient with me ask I finally prep for introducing the characters that you really want to see. Sorry this chapter was a bit shorter than the last few. In the next few chapters you'll start seeing a lot more familiar faces again. There will also start to be a lot more flashbacks and memories in the form of dreams so you can start to put together her past more. I found Dumbledore particularly hard to write so I apologize if he seems OOC! I hope your all enjoying Bree's journey so far as much as I am. I don't do a ton of writing like this, so let me know if you catch any inconsistency or flaws! Have a great night everyone! And happy reading :)**_


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